Door lock



J. W. GREIG Jan. 5, 1943.

DOOR LOCK Filed Sept. 14, 1940 2 Sheetsg-Sheet 1 l Figa y l I TORNEY5.

Jan-45V vJ. W. GREIG l DooR Loox Filed sept. 14, 1940 2 sheets-'sheet 2 f IHIUIH ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 5l, 1943 iiNrrEn STATES Para James W. Greig, Grosse ointe Park, Mich., as#

signor to HudsonV Motor Car .Company,Detroit,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to door latches and particularly although not exclusively to latch devices adapted for use in connection with the doors. of motor vehicles and the like. The invention contemplates the provision of an improved device of this class including lock mechanism adapted to be installed upon the swinging door of the vehicle body.

Heretofore in the construction of door locks it has been the practice to mount the outer. door handle in such a manner that itsaxis. of turning has been coincident with the axis of the. rollback. Thus, it has been the practice in many instances to locate the outer door handle ata .point on .the outside door panel below the level of the latch bolt in order to permit the handle to be operatively connected to the rollback. Where thelook has been of the so-called around the glass runway type it has been considered necessary to have the outer door handle and rollback axes coincident in order to cause the parts to function.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the foregoing character in which the outer door handle is located above the rollback and entirely independent of the i A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved around the glass runway type lock in which the outer door handle is located above the rollback and entirely independent of the axis thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lock or latch mechanism for a nvehicle door in which the outer door handle may be located at any desired elevation or position in a vertical direction regardless of the position or location of the rollback device of the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure in which a door handle assembly and a. member adapted to form a section of the belt line molding are combined; and one which is adapted to be mounted directed uponthe exterior of a vehicle body and which is, after mounting, adapted to form a harmonious part of the said belt line molding.

Another object of the invention is toprovide an improved device of the foregoing character 55 which isrelatively simple. and compact in construction and .one which iseconomical to manutaken. substantially along the line 2 2. of Fig.4 1

looking. in. the direction of the arrows.

Fig.. 3 is an exploded perspective view ofthe struotureshown in Fig. 2,.looking in the direction ofthe arrow designatedat 3 in Fig. 2.

. Fg..4 isa. sectional view of the structure shown` in Fig. 2. taken substantially along the line 4-61 .in Fig. 2;. looking. in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 isan4 enlarged vertical section taken substantiallythrough lines 5 5 of Fig. 2, lookling. in thedirection ofthe arrows.

liig.4 6. is. a sectional view taken substantially along thellines of E-S in Fig. 2, looking` in the direction of the arrows.

lBefore.explaining in `detail thepresent invention it isv to bev understood ythat the invention is not .limited in its application to the details Voi construction and. arrangement of parts illusvtrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is .capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.-

\ Referring nowv particularly to the drawings, A represents., as a whole the latch or lockv bolt mechanismembodying the present invention. As shown,. the latch bolt mechanism is .mounted uponthe front door D oi an enclosed motor vehicle body, a fragment of which is shown at B in Fig. l. Also shown, inFig. l is door handle H which isv mounted upon or at the vehicle body belt line. molding M Vand adapted by virtue of its location, shape and configuration to simulate the .molding and in appearance to merge harmoniously into the molding. The dovetail and striker unit used in conjunction with the latch bolt mechanism of the present invention is indicated -as a whole at C, see particularly Fig. 5.

The latch bolt mechanism, as shown, ,comprises an upright suitable case plate IU havingv an end ilange I I and an extension I2 which is located in spaced relation to and in a substantially parallel plane to the plane of the inner portion Il) of the case plate. The case plate is provided with a plurality of holes Illa for the reception of screws or the like (not shown) for the purpose of attaching the case plate to the inner door or lock panel I3. The iiange II is provided with a plurality of holes IIa for the purpose of receiving screws (not shown) for the attachment of the flange II to the inner inclined face of the jamb I4 of the door pillar. The door also comprises an outer panel I5 which is secured in the usual manner to the outer overlap flange of thefdoor' pillar, as shown in Fig. 2. y

The latch mechanism of the present embodiment of the invention comprises a retractable latch bolt I6 which nas a sliding t in an opening or slot formed in the end flange II of thecase plate I. A slotted reinforcing plate Il is at-l tached to the inner face of flange II. A slide member I9 is attached by means of rivets I8 to the rear portion I6a. of the latch bolt. The slide member I9 is provided with a horizontal guide slot `2l! for the reception of a headed rivet or pin 2| which is fastened to an embossment 22 formed in the case plate I0 (see Figs. 2 and 4). A remote control link 23 is attached to the outer end of the slide member I9 by means of a headed rivet 24. The outer end of the remote control link 23 is attached to a remote control handle 25 which is mounted on the inner face of door D, see Fig. l. The mechanism also includes a xed stop member 26 which comprises a body portion extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the slide member I9 and having an offset depending rear or outer end 26a. The rear end 26a is mountedupon the fixed pin or rivet 2|. The forward or inner end of the body portion of member 26 has an l angular flange 25D and an extending tongue or portion 26e, the latter being adapted to t within a socket or embossment 2l formed in the case plate I0. The body portion of member 25 is also provided with an abutment or shoulder 28.

An upright or substantially vertically disposed shifter member 29 is slidably mounted upon the inner face of the case plate I0 and is secured thereto by means of the headed rivet or pin 2| which passes through a vertical slot 30 formed therein and by a second headed rivet or pin 32 which passes through another vertical slot 3| formed in the member 29 adjacent its lower end. The inner edge of the member 29 is provided with a pair of vertically spaced angularly disposed lugs or projections 33, 33, see Figs. 4 and 5. A locking plunger or rod 34 is attached to the upper end portion of the shifter member 29 by means of a rivet or stud 35. As seen in Fig. 1, the plunger 34 projects vertically from the inside of the door D to a point above the window opening of the body so as to be easily accessible to the driver or other occupant of the car. The lower end of member 29 has an offset inwardly projecting portion 36 to which is connected one end of a lock actuated and controlled rod or link 3l.

The rearward end of the slide member I9 has a depending portion to which is attached, by means of a headed rivet or the like 38, the rearward end of a rockable detent member 39. The forward end of the detent member has an upward projection 39a provided with a curved slot 4B formed therein. The member 39 is attached at its forward end to and is supported by the slide member I9 ,by means of a headed rivet or stud 4I which passes through the slot 4I] and is secured to the slide. The lower or bottom edge: of the detent 39 75 Vlug I9a projecting from its bottom edge.

is provided with an angularly disposed flange 39h which when the parts are assembled, projects into the space between the lugs 33, 33 formed on the shifter member 29. Thus, when the shifter member is elevated by means of the plunger 34, the detent will be elevated also to bring the edge or nose portion 39C into position and adjacent to the abutment or shoulder 28, as seen in Fig. 5. With the parts in this position the lock bolt cannot be retracted. It will be understood that since the detent member 39 is mounted upon the slide member I9, it is movable in a longitudinal direction in a substantially horizontal plane with said slide member when the bolt is operated.

'The slide member I9 has a depending ear or This lug is provided with a hole which receives one end of a coiled tension spring 42, see Fig. 5, the opposite end 42a of this spring fitting within a hole or opening in the rockable detent 39, see Figs. 3 and 5. With the parts in their-positions of Fig. 3, it will be understood that the spring 42 is held under tension. .When the locking plunger 34 is lifted to move the detent 39 to its bolt clogging position of Fig. 5, the normal tendency of the spring to return to its normal condition of Fig. 5, assists in the movement of member 39 to its upper position.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the latch bolt may be retracted by the remote control handle 25.v

The latch bolt I6 maybe retracted independently of the remote control handle 25 through the medium of the inner end 39a of the detent y member which is engaged by a cam extension 44 of a suitable rollback 43 journalled to turn on a stud IIlb firmly fixed to the case plate l and controlled by the handle shaft 45 ofthe outer door handle H of the front door D, see particularly Figs. land 4. The handle shank 45 is insertable in an aperture 45a formed in a rotatable bearing or hub member 49 located in a supporting housing 48 having flanges which, as shown, are riveted to an extension plate or member I2. `A

. lock supporting member or platell is riveted to and carried by the extension plate or member I2.

Referring particularly to the outer door handle member H, see Figs. 2 and 4, this member is xecl on the handle shank .4.5 to rotate oir the outer surface of strip or section K of the belt line-molding M and adapted to form a harmonious part thereof. Strip K is supported by a retainer molding or base R having an inwardly extending boss l0, said retainer molding being adapted to receivescrews 'I2 and 'I3 whereby the belt molding strip or section K may be securely fastened to a supporting bracket-or member 'H of the Vehicle body. Adjacent to the-outer surface of hub 46 and surrounding the handle shank 45 is a cooperating spring 41 which is adapted to assist a coil spring 43e of the rollback to return the handle member H to its normal horizontal position. The inner end of the cooperating spring 41 terminates in a spring cap lla which is rotatably mounted upon the handle shank 45. The outer end of the spring 41 extends into the hollow boss 'I0 of the molding retainer Y As shown, the axis of the hub member 4,8, which latter provides a socket for the handle shank 45, is preferably located at a point remote from the axis of the rollback 43 in a vertical direction; The hub member lisis provided with offsets or arms 46a and 46h. An inclined link or bar 5Ul is provided with an upperoffset or bent end 53a. attached to the crank arm 46a by means of a stud or rivet l, see Fig. 6. Arm or projection 46o is adapted to engage flanged portion 48av of housing 48 and thus act as a stop member to limit rotation of hub 46. The connecting link 50 has van offset or bent lower end portion 50h which is attached to a lower crank arm 43h of the rollback 43 by means of a pin or rivet 52, see Fig. 5, the connecting link, as shown, extending at an inclined angle between the hub 46 and the rollback L33. It willV be understood that the length of the link 5D is determined by the desired position or location of the handle 45 with relation to the rollback device.

Mounted upon the case plate IU is a spiral return spring 55 for the latch bolt I6, the free end 55a of the spring engaging the rear portion I6a of the bolt and being adapted to return the bolt to fully extended position when the door handle H is released.

The lower edge of the plate or member 49 is provided with an extension or depending portion 69a which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is offset inwardly from the plane of the plate. The outer face of the extension 49a carries a sleeve 56 which supports a key actuated lock mechanism including a cylinder 51. The lock mechanism includes a semi-cylindrical member or part 58 which is adapted to be oscillated by the key for the lock and which projects inwardly from the extension 49a. As seen in Fig. 2, the lock cylinder 51 is held in place by a screw 13 which is accessible through a slot or opening la, in the jamb I4.

The rod 31, above referred to, is extended from the projection 36 to the inner face of the end plate or flange Il and is bent throughout a portion of its length to extend substantially parallel to the member ll. This portion of the rod is mounted in a bearing or bracket 59 and is then bent inwardly toward the lock portion 58, see Figs. 3 and 4. The free end of rod 31 terminates in the space between the ends of the semi-cylindrical member 58, as seen in Fig. 6. Since the rod 31 is connected with the lower end of the reciprocable shifter member 29, it will be understood that its free end adjacent the oscillatable member 5S must have a certain range of freedom of movement relative to said member when the lock mechanism is not in locked condition. Thus, it will be seen in Fig. 6 that the end of rod 31 can be moved from its full line to its dotted line position without coming into contact with the part 58. It will be understood further that by oscillating the member 58 by means of the lock mechanism, the rod 31 may be shifted to raise or lower the shifter member 29 and also the detent member 39 to lock or unlock the bolt I6 independently of the locking plunger 34, although operation of the lock will also shift said plunger.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, the combined striker and dovetail unit C comprises, in the present instance, a metallic face plate 60 which is mounted upon the edge face of the jamb of the door pillar 6l by screws or the like 62. This unit, as shown, comprises a lower transverse housing member 63 and an upper transverse housing member 64 which are spaced apart to provide a passageway therebetween for the bolt l5 when the door D is opened and closed. A latch or striker member 65 is mounted in the lower housing 63 and a second latch or striker member 66 is mounted in the upper housing 64. These latch members extend inwardly into the path of the bolt I6. The member 65 is a safety latch for holding the bolt when the door is not fullBT closed. An upper cam plate or wedge member 61 is' mounted upon the jambV face of the door D at a point just above the plane'of the upper edge of the housing 64. This member 61 will govern the path of movement of the bolt I6 as it enters between the housings 63 and 64, said wedge member serving to solidly support the door upon the upper ledge or edge o'f the housing member 64. The construction and mode of operation of the combined striker and dovetail unit are similar to the disclosure contained in my copending application, Serial No. 268,777 filed April 19, 1939.

The present invention has been illustrated by way of example in connection with that type of door lock in which the turning axis of the outer door handle passes through the glass or glass runway or is located in such manner as to require operation of the rollback by means of a socalled around the glass runway linkage. In Fig. 2 the glass runway extends into the space between portions I0 and l2 of the case plate and the link 5U operates beyond the end of the glass runway.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the axis lill -of turning of the rollback 43 is, as is customary in many instances, below the longitudinal or major axis of the bolt I5. With such a construction it has heretofore been necessary to mount the outer door handle in such a manner that its axis of turning is coincident with the axis IUI.

Thus, it has been the practice to locate the outer door handle at a point on the outside of the door panel below the level of the latch bolt in order to permit Athe handle to be operatively connected to the rollback. Where the lock has been of the so-called around the glass runway type it has been considered necessary to have the outer door handle and rollback axes coincident in order to cause the parts to function.

It will be seen that the present invention, considered from one of its broader aspects, permits the outer door handle to be mounted or located at any elevation with respect to the rollback. In particular, the present invention contemplates not only the utilization of the handle assembly as a portion or a simulated portion of the belt line molding, but also the location of the outer handle above the rollback and entirely independently of the axis thereof, and as a consequence the normal positions and constructions of the latch bolt, rollback and associated parts need not be disturbed or changed in order to position the outerhandle at the level of the belt line molding.

I claim:

ll. In a door latch, a latch bolt adapted to be mounted on a swinging door to project longitudinally from the swinging edge thereof, tension means for maintaining the bolt normally in pro- `iected position, a rotatable rollback for retracting said bolt, an outer door handle shaft mounted to turn on a transverse axis vertically spaced from the axis of the rollback, said rollback and handle shaft having projecting cranks, and an angularly inclined link pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said cranks and extending transversely to the edge of the door, the axes of said pivotal connections being equidistant from the axes of rotation of the rollback and handle shaft.

2. In a door latch, a latch bolt adapted to be mounted on a swinging door to project longitudinally from the swinging edge thereof, tension means for maintaining the bolt normally in projected position, a rotatable rollback for retracting said bolt, an outer door handle shaft mounted to turn on a transverse axis vertically spaced from the axis of the rollback, said rollback and handle shaft having projecting cranks, and an a'ngularly inclined link terminating in bent ends pivotally connected to said cranks and extending transversely to the edge of the door.

3. In a door latch, a latch bolt adapted to be mounted on a swinging door.l to project longitudinally from the swinging edge thereof, tension means for maintaining the bolt normally in projected position, a rotatable rollback for retracting 10 

